Author's Note: Sorry that I've been absent. I AM back, and I will make an effort to update at least one of my works daily. I thank anybody who reviewed up to this point, and starting next chapter I will do individual responses again! Love you guys. (Had to repost 3 times because it kept messing up...including adding stuff that is CLEARLY not in my document -_-)

Chapter Twelve: Familiar

The promises of his dream lulled his mind along a distant memory. The woman, flashing her brilliant smile made his heart ache. Her beautiful obsidian hair flowed like silk down around her body, and her golden honey eyes lit up the moment she spotted him.

Everything about the woman approaching him screamed home. The curve of her body, the light in her eyes, and the promises of her smile all tugged his heart strings in a symphony that spread havoc on his reasoning. He would lie down his life for her if she simply requested it of him. Dying for her would never be a question.

Her ruby painted lips parted, whispering his name. Nicolas.

His brows pulled together a little. The name felt wrong along his soul. It was out of place, but he wasn't sure why. Nicolas? However, his confusion didn't stop him from an automatic response that felt just as odd. My Princess.

Her onyx hair glimmered, the color morphing into shades of blue before shifting back, and his frown only deepened. Both were inadequate of her beauty as individuals, but somehow, they both personified her identity, speaking to the deepest recesses of his soul. Something inside clicked, but just as swiftly, the current swept the feeling away…leaving him vacant.

Adrien, you're going to be late. The equally familiar voice echoed into the atmosphere, and the boy's frown deepened. Adrien? Yes…

The blonde jerked upwards, moving before his brain was fully aware of his surroundings. His emerald orbs darted around just in time to catch the fact he was falling out of his bed. His back hit the floor, pushing the air from his lungs as his heart fluttered frantically in his chest.

He felt panicked, webs of uncertainty spinning through his mind. As he stared at the ceiling, sticky strands of confusion plagued his consciousness, clogging the pathways of his understanding. How had he gotten home?

Imaginary cracks of power glistened along the clear expanse of the ceiling, created only by his thoughts as he reached within the depths of his memory. Each instance he attempted to conjure the day before, it was as if an invisible barrier halted his efforts. In fact, he pushed against the resistance, and sharp pain infiltrated his skull, pulling a groan from his lips.

His mental palms pressed against the wall, vibrant eyes peering through the fog stained illusion to glimpse the memories he was missing. The teen recognized Carapace's face, witnessed the shift in features until…Nino!

His best friend's eyes warped through the iced crystal of the obstruction, and his Lady's bright orbs wavered in front of him. The hurt, sorry….rejection…echoed in the depths he'd studied for far too long. He…

Angry hooks of regret anchored along his heart, piercing along the sensitive flesh in ways he couldn't begin to describe. He'd made the heroine of Paris crumble, and he wasn't even sure he could mend the pieces of their fractured relationship. After all, she hadn't even bothered to allow him to explain.

"Ladybug," he groaned, remembering that he had wanted to escape for a little while after hurting her. The reminder only manifested sparks of onyx and green lightning behind his eyes….scathing a path along a portion of him that he didn't know existed. Just as quickly, it faded.

"You have bigger problems, kid." Plagg floated into the field of his vision, yawning.

"Ladybug thinks Chat rejected her, and Marinette is mad at Chat and Adrien. What could possibly be more important?"

A loud knock from his bedroom door made him hustle to his feet, forcing Plagg to dodge him. "Watch it!"

The blonde barely had enough time to toss the ancient a pointed look before the 'intruder' interjected. "Adrien, are you even up?" Nathalie's normally patient voice sounded a little worried. "We're supposed to leave in 20 minutes."

"Crap," he hissed, scrambling to find his clothes. "I have a shoot!"

***POV Change***

The twilight filtering through her skylight offered little solace to the splintering fractures of her mind and heart. The bluenette was unwilling to move from her bed, encouraged mostly by the fact her body was a tangled mass of throbbing pain.

Marinette wasn't sure how long her orbs studied the glistening diamonds decorating the expanse beyond her window. The only thing she could be certain of…she couldn't remember much from the day before.

Each image she endeavored to conjure across her mind refused to appear, leaving a wasteland of emptiness in its catastrophic wake. A sigh of frustration emanated from her cracked lips, startling her crimson friend. She could sense the Kwami's miniscule movements, close to her body.

"I don't remember what happened after leaving here to find Chat," she whispered. The bluenette pressed her palms to her forehead, squeezing her eyes closed as the agony rippled through the confines of her brain. Something wasn't right. Something else had occurred, and she wanted to be able to figure it out.

Angry hues of rose and ivory splashed behind her lids, scarring her window of consciousness. It carved a corridor, beckoning her attention, watching as the sparkling energy waged a war along every familiar feeling….scorching a new territory, ripe for growth…improvement. It ushered a way for….change.

"You don't remember?" Tikki's voice was hesitant as the crimson Kwami nestled into her side, pulling Mari's attention.

Despite the comforting presence of her bound partner, a foreign entity tugged along her body. It commanded her attention, making the bluenette falter, eyes wavering between the sharp focus of reality and something beyond a veil she didn't quite understand. After a breath of moments lost to the will of fate, she was able to answer her powerful ally.

"No. Each time I try, it's like it doesn't exist. Do you remember?" She stared, expectantly at her friend, but Creation kept her face against Mari's body.

A chilling cavernous expanse appeared in the depths of heart. Across the crevice of each yawning abyss, figures appeared, randomly, hands pointed towards the sky. As swiftly as they came, and her orbs tried to ascertain their unique features, they were gone. Instead, the secret heroine was left with the reality presented to her.

The ancient stilled against her, and after a few heartbeats, the Miraculous wielder thought she wasn't going to answer. However, when she spoke, her voice was so soft, Mari almost missed it. "You were attacked, but you handled it."

The bluenette groaned, rubbing her temples. "Did I find Chat?"

"No. You wrapped things up before we ever saw him."

"I need to find him," she replied firmly, endeavoring to sit up, but her body screamed its immediate protest, forcing her to be still.

"I don't think you should be moving."

Mari made a strangled sound in her throat, wanting to argue, but she knew there wasn't much point. "Probably." She covered her face with her trembling hands, and her heart clenched, spiraling into the tiniest point. It knotted until the aching was far too painful to silently bear, and the first sob broke the barrier of her lips. "I need to see him. I need to apologize…to confess…everything."

"Everything?"

"I'm tired of the secrets," she breathed haggardly, dropping the barrier she'd created around her face.

"You have to be careful with your identity. It's not just about your risk, it's about the risk you put on those who know Marinette." Her Kwami was intent to keep herself balled into the woman's side, unmoving.

"You know who he is, don't you?" This time, it was hard to keep her voice steady, instead, threads of accusatory bitterness laced through the words.

"You know I do," Tikki squeaked.

"Then tell me. Please?"

Gradually, the ancient lifted her wide eyes to stare at her owner, and the bluenette could see the wavering of unshed tears. "I can't."

Marinette didn't bother keeping the anger from filtering into her voice. "You won't."

"Can't," the Kwami reiterated, her tone filled with heartache. "It's a spell to keep us from revealing each other's owners. If I try, I'll be stifled." The skepticism must have rippled over her face, because the ancient sniffled, replying almost automatically. "Chat Noir's real identity is A—ah!" Pink bubbles spilled out of her mouth, popping almost as quickly, startling the spotted heroine enough to make her sit up suddenly.

"Oh!" She cupped her partner and pulled her to her cheek, too concerned to care about the sharp pain shooting through her body induced by her lack of restraint. "I'm sorry, I'm just so frustrated," she admitted.

"It isn't easy being responsible for so much," Tikki cooed, nuzzling her cheek in return. "However, I don't doubt that you are one of the only people who could shoulder it."

"It isn't fair that I know all the other wielder's identities, but I can't know his."

This time, the Kwami sighed. "It's different. You know it is. If the cat and ladybug miraculous come together…"

"I know." Mari cut her off. "It would just make things easier."

The woman set the ancient down gently, managing to roll onto her side. Staring off into the distance didn't seem like the best use of time, but her mind was tumbling down a rabbit hole she could barely discern. Her life felt like it was on a collision course, and she didn't know how to stop it. Perhaps, if she rested a little longer…the answers might come.

***POV Change***

"I remember a time when you used to love your shoots," Nathalie said softly, eyeing the teen.

Adrien shifted his eyes to the floor, offering a minute shrug against her inquiry. His fingers worried along the rim of the fedora he was holding. "I just didn't get a lot of sleep, and I have other things on my mind."

The woman opened her mouth before closing it slowly, tilting her head. "Well, I don't suppose you could shelve your exhaustion and troubles for today? There is a new girl we have to train for the agency, and your father wanted you to help her."

The blonde blew out a gentle sigh, but nodded. There was no point in worrying about Mari and Ladybug when he had a job to do. If another person needed him, even just professionally, he'd help to the best of his abilities.

"Sure," he conceded. "Not a problem." He plastered a smile on his face, rubbing the back of his head lightly with one of his hands. His fingers touched the edge of his healing cut near the back of his ear, cringing a little. Make up had covered it well, but Nathalie still wanted the story later. He'd have to handle that as well.

"Good," she commended, nudging him firmly in the right direction. "I'll be by in a few hours to check in." Adrien offered a small wave as she retreated down the opposite end of the hallway, disappearing through the door.

"You look ridiculous," Plagg snickered from the jacket pocket of the model's black tuxedo.

"You say that every shoot," the blonde teased in return, hitting the button of the elevator.

"I can't help it if they continue to dress you in clown outfits."

Adrien snorted, touching the ivory mask that was adhered to the upper left side of his face. He was desperately trying not to let his concerns overshadow his work. His mind flitted over the faces of the women's hurt. Each time he saw the disappointment in their eyes, his stomach knotted, threatening a wave of nausea that he forced back down.

Focus.

He pulled the onyx fedora onto his head, dipping it over the white mask. The right side of his face was decorated with black vines, encircling his eye, travelling down his cheek and jaw, dominating his neck to his chest, partially visible due to his open tuxedo shirt. The thorns entangled a bright scarlet heart painted on his flesh.

"I think the cape is excessive," Adrien commented to his friend just as the lift came to a halt.

A faint snort ensued, but the doors opened, and he approached the double doors across the foyer. The blonde took a deep breath, releasing his tension on the exhale. He had practiced this particular shoot several times. It was supposed to be for a commercial as far as he knew. He knew his cues, and he had rehearsed more than once all the dancing. He was going to be fine.

He pushed the large wooden doors open, leading to the inner foyer. Several crew members looked in his direction, offering cordial nods or smiles as he neared. "Everyone is ready, take your place and wait for your cue," a petite scarlet haired woman with a headset said firmly, gesturing to the second set of double wooden doors that he knew led into the ballroom.

He knew they would open easily when it was time, and he pressed his palms against the flat surface, listening to the sound of his heart in his ears. He'd practiced with a woman, but he knew she wasn't going to be his partner. He supposed the woman Nathalie mentioned was going to be his counter in the video, and he was hoping she had been practicing too.

"Enter the beast," the woman cued him, and he smirked, allowing the role to take hold as he shoved the doors open.

His eyes skimmed the now 'surprised' faces watching his entrance, never allowing his smirk to waver. He could see a lot of crew on the outskirts, but he ignored them as he sauntered confidently towards the center of dance floor, dropping his gaze to the ground as the other patrons backed away, creating a path.

He tilted his head slowly towards the grand staircase, raising a palm upwards to 'introduce' his partner. Only a moment passed before the doors at the top opened, a thick wall of fog spilling into the room. A figure pressed forward, and as it neared the top step, he almost faltered.

The woman wore a strapless gown, her bare skin adorned with painted white and pink lotus flowers. They trailed up her neck, spiraling over the right side of her face. The upper left side of her face adorned an obsidian mask to mirror his ivory one. Her onyx hair was piled elegantly at the crown of her head, and she was beautiful, but it was her eyes.

Her golden orbs pierced his gaze, igniting a sense of intimacy he'd never known. He'd known those eyes for a hundred years…more. His heart faltered over several beats, forcing a sharp inhale of breath. He'd known that stare across eternity, and he would always know it. His heart would always recognize her.

Those golden eyes hypnotized him, staggering his mind as she descended towards him. The curve of her mouth enticed his to quiver with the need to kiss her. They were bound by the hands of time, no matter how much the logical side of his brain told him otherwise.

She took his outstretched hand, and if he didn't have special senses, thanks to life as Chat, he would never have caught the hitch in her breath. However, he had a hard time controlling his own body as livid fire pulsated from the contact, threatening to consume his being.

The blonde slid to a kneel, placing a kiss against the back of her hand, lingering a moment longer than he wanted. However, he stood abruptly, yanking her body against his as he rose, his free hand pressing into the small of her back as he dipped her…desperately trying to ignore the fact he could sense her mutual attraction.

In that moment, Adrien knew he was in trouble.